Court okays demolition of eight-flat

by BRIAN NADIG

The City of Chicago recently obtained a court order to demolish a vacant apartment building at 4300 W. Berteau Ave.

Manuel Galvan, a spokesman for Alderman Margaret Laurino, said that the building had been vacant for about 5 years and that a receivership company has been appointed to manage the property. Galvan said that residents attended numerous court hearings on the issue during the past 3 years.

Demolition of the brick eight-flat began in early November. About 20 building code violations were issued against the property since 2012, according to the city Department of Buildings.

Old Irving Park Association president Lynn Ankney said that the secluded location of the site on a partial block that dead ends at an expressway embankment "lends itself" to suspicious activities. Ankney said that nearby home owners asked the association for help working with the city to resolve the matter.

Ankney said that the two-story building had become an eyesore in recent years due to its deteriorating condition. "They saw people going in and out of the building even though it was partially boarded up and it had part of the roof caved in," she said.

It is not clear why the building had become in such disarray, and during the court proceedings it appeared that the owner was going to sell the property to a developer who would repair the building, but that did not happen, Ankney said.

"The residents were hopeful when it looked like it was going to be redeveloped," Ankney said. "At one point I believe it was a nice property."

Galvan said that no potential buyers have approached Laurino with new plans for the property. The RS-3 zoning of the site is intended for two-flats and single-family homes.